Farmers still recovering from deluge wrought by Cyclone Debbie

Rangitaiki River overwhelms Kopuriki Rd - and surrounding farmland - near Murupara in April 2017.

The news has moved on from the flooding that swamped Edgecumbe and the Hauraki Plains during Cyclone Debbie in April, but little has returned to normal for hundreds of farmers who bore the brunt of the onslaught.

Given the constant media diet we live on, perhaps it is excusable that many of us have since found new images to take our attention; our concerns for the flood victims now little more than a righteous memory.

But hundreds of families are still struggling towards recovery, with paddocks and fences ruined, winter feed destroyed and access routes into some farm areas still unusable.

Sandy Scarrow, chairwoman of the Bay of Plenty Rural Support Trust, says the public has generally forgotten that the flooding was so widespread and the impacts were especially significant because the rain fell onto already-saturated soils.

"Some farmers are involved in calving now yet they are not even back in their own homes. Calving is a 24/7 activity, with the calves needing constant monitoring, which is especially hard if you are not able to live on your farm."

She says the impact of the unrelenting wetness is much worse than in previous floods. "The costs are huge, and ongoing. We estimate the initial cost for the worst affected farmers was around $4 million with money needed to shift cattle, buy in feed and also the lost production as affected farmers have dried off cows six weeks early."

Two maize growers have not been able to harvest 500ha of crops, thereby losing a full season's income. Two kiwifruit growers have started removing vines because the root systems have not coped with the wetness.

One farmer has replanted his pastures twice since the flood, without any success, she says. Overall, an estimated 93ha of riverside land has been washed away for good.

"These farmers have complex needs, including housing, health, farm production, financial stress and simple overload. We are trying to ensure people are looking after themselves.

"We were able to shift out 5700 cattle in the first few days after the flood. Other farmers volunteered to take them, without question."

The Rural Support Trust also helped distribute a $200,000 Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) relief grant, given out once the flood was classified as a Medium Adverse Event.

Sandy estimates this will be less than 2 per cent of the overall costs. The Rural Support Trust is lobbying the government for a top-up to this grant.

The MPI classification triggers a range of recovery assistance packages, including Task Force Green teams to help with the clean-up, rural assistance payments for extreme hardship to help with rural families' essential living costs, tax flexibility and financial support via Work and Income to farmers whose incomes have changed.

Darryl Jensen, Federated Farmers provincial president in the Bay of Plenty, said dairy farmers were just starting to get back on their feet financially after two years of low payouts when the floods hit.

"The biggest concern is the emotional and mental wellness of people - especially those who have not previously experienced such an event. The area affected is huge, and we are still getting rain on rain. The sodden pastures will have a slower recovery.

"There are still 41 rural properties [in the Bay of Plenty] that are yellow stickered - people can't live in those homes. There's another 141 in Edgecumbe township. Fonterra's factory staff have been affected."

There won't be any going back for some farmers. The water table has changed and is higher in some places. Some horticulturists on the plains are pulling out kiwifruit vines and long-established avocado trees because of sodden roots.

It will take about six years for new avocado plantings to fruit, if planting stock is available immediately.

Self-evacuated homes in Tramline Rd, near the Piako River on the Hauraki Plains.

Record river flows

It is a similar story for the Matamata-Piako and Hauraki Plains farmers caught up in the same weather event. The Waihou and Piako rivers reached record height levels and record flows, which continued for several days.

Although Waikato Regional Council flood protection measures performed well, there was extensive surface flooding and ponding in unexpected areas.

Hauraki District mayor John Tregidga says farms bordering the Kopuatai Peat Dome in Patetonga, Kaihere, Springdale and Otway areas haven't experienced this type of ponding in the past.

Waikato Regional Council (WRC) advised that overtopping of stopbanks in the area, and the spilling of water to ponding areas, was part of the way the flood management scheme in the area was designed to operate.

However, many people were now asking questions about potential improvements to the Piako River Flood Scheme managed by WRC.

The scheme is currently in its normal review cycle, but following the April flooding WRC is working to produce a special report into what happened that it will then discuss at a series of open days.

Now in recovery mode, the Waikato Civil Defence Group is working to co-ordinate agencies that can provide assistance. These include MPI and Ministry of Social Development (MSD) which are working with Rural Support Trust and Task Force Green to supply crews for clean-up work.

Federated Farmers has also put its hand up to assist farmers in need of feed or grazing. It's been working with its members to source discounted and donated feed across the North Island. Rural Women New Zealand also has $1000 grants available for farmers in need.

The WRC is keen to spread the word support is available for those who need it.

In July, the economic and social impact of the events were still real. MPI intended to have a full economic impact report into the effect on farmers ready within the next few months.

Estimates at this stage across the Waikato indicate about five farms suffered greater than $200,000 in loss of production, while about 30 farms suffered less than $100,000 loss of production.

Anyone needing help on the farm should contact Federated Farmers on 0800 327 646. They can also help with stock movements and feed.

Rural Support Trusts have local people trained to offer assistance and support, and their help is free and confidential. Call 0800 RURAL HELP (0800 787 254) or visit www.rural-support.org.nz.